Strawberry Gashes
by Carol Nawali
Summary: Sakura was poisoned during a battle, and welcomes death with open arms, and Sasuke doesnt want her to give up so easily. What happens when a suicide note is written? [one shot]


A loud and shrill shriek echoed throughout the battle field and Sasuke turned to Naruto who only gulped in fear and ran off. Sasuke quickly trailed after him and the duo ran towards where the scream had come from.

Sasuke had returned over two years ago and cell seven had formed once more. Now that the sound was attacking again, the dutiful and loyal team had offered to fend off on comers. They had been doing fine as far as they thought, but the scream from their female counterpart was enough to tell them something was wrong.

The young woman had gotten so much stronger to! It must have been serious for such a blood curdling scream!

The two hopped from branch to branch so fast that their surroundings seemed nothing more then green and brown blurs, and then came a clearing. Both males stopped and looked down at the clearing. A woman lay dead near cherry pink blossom colored hair and both flew to the area.

The blonde quickly screamed their teammates name "SAKURA CHAN!" While Sasuke flew to her side and turned her body over to estimate the wounds.

_Turn her over_

Something caught his eye, other then the girl, and that was something flashing in the corner of his eye. Turning around to see what he could only see in his peripheral vision he saw the one they assumed was dead stand up and grin.

"She'll be dead…soon" They spoke and cackled as something green dripped from her talons that were used as her weapon of choice.

Not even bothering to ask what she meant Sasuke quickly formed hand seals before torching the enemy to death.

_A candle is lit_

Sasuke then turned his attention back to his fallen teammate and saw Naruto cradling her head in his lap. "Sakura Chan" came his hoarse whisper as if it were some sort of secret chant. "Sakura Chan…"

Sweat beaded her forehead and she groaned as her eyes were tightly screwed shut. Her breaths came out shallow and labored and something stirred in Sasuke's stomach. What was this feeling?

Slowly he made his way closer to the area the two were at leaving the ashes of the foe behind forgotten.

_I see through her…_

His feet shuffled as dirt came up in puffs from his wake. Slowly it settled as he kneeled down at the two and watched as Naruto gently laid the pink haired teammate's head down on the ground as he took off his orange jacket and started ripping it to shreds for her. One shred he used as a towel to soak up her perspiration while the others he started to use for her wounds that were easily scattered on her body.

That's when Sasuke saw it…the green from the dead ones talons…flowing out of Sakura's arm. He did not say anything however as he watched Naruto finish his job before picking her up on his back.

"Come on Sasuke bastard! We have to get her to the Hokage's!"

Sasuke nodded his head and together they leapt through the forest as again the world passed by like a blur. Sakura's head lolled lifelessly while Naruto leapt and a sinking feeling passed over Sasuke.

_Blow it out and save all her ashes for me_

It was far from long before they reached the Hokage's office. The two blatantly ignored young shizune and went straight to the elder blonde woman.

"GRANNY!" Naruto called out and Sasuke saw the woman stiffen at the nickname "SAKURA CHANS HURT!" He continued in his frantic tone and instantly the woman whirled around to see her prized pupil being held up by Naruto.

"Heavens above!" she swore quietly as she hastily made her way to her student. "What happened!"

Neither boy knew what to say so they both simply stayed quiet. What was there for them to tell?

_Curse me_

Sasuke watched as Tsunade took the girl from Naruto and quickly walked away and mental screamed aloud! If only he her been there! Carefully he kept his façade of emotionless up as he swore to himself silently.

Naruto however did not stay quiet. Angrily he kicked the wall and pounded it with his fist. "DAMN IT! If only we had been there…"

_Sold her_

Then he silenced and stood there, head held in shame as he stared at the cold patterns of the floor. The silence deafened them as they welcomed it whole heartedly. Though their flowery teammate was not gone she was far from both of their reaches now.

Eventually the two found their way to the hospital where they knew the medical specialist would take Sakura. It took approximately three hours of waiting before the hokage came out again looking at the two solemnly and sighed a quivering sigh.

_The poison that runs its course through her_

She informed the two of the poison that rushed through Sakura's veins and instantly Sasuke knew that it was that green liquid that leaked from the wench's talons. He gulped back that rising emotion again and made his way towards the room Tsunade had just left.

"Wait!" she warned "You shouldn't go in th-"

Sasuke turned around giving her a glare that said 'just try to stop me' and then pushed the doors open.

There she laid, her pink hair spewed across her pillow. Her face was a peaceful one that spoke of nothing but a gentle sleep and Sasuke found he was having a hard time making his way to her side.

Finally when he reached her side he saw something red that caught his eyes. Slowly he pulled away the blanket and saw what Naruto had hidden away with his jacket…

Cuts upon cuts upon cuts! They littered her skin, painting it with red.

_Pale white skin…with strawberry gashes_

Tsunade entered then with Naruto on her heels and quickly replaced the blanket over her student, giving Sasuke's shocked expression a sympathetic look.

"Why…" she started and decided to take a better approach, more calm and emotionless approach then feverly screaming why she had al those cuts in the first place. "Why…is she not bandaged?"

"She's not bleeding…" She replied simply not explaining further

But the cuts…they were…

_All over - all over_

Three weeks had passed and the poison didn't seem to be taking a toll on the young girl's body, and she had woken up and was just being kept in for observations. Only Kakashi, Naruto, Tsunade and lee came to visit her though.

What she didn't tell anyone was that she could feel the poison eating away at her Chakra, slowly and painfully. There wasn't any need to tell anyone. They would mourn when she was gone, and she was no fool. She knew that there was no way to restore lost charka, so why tell anyone? Not like they could help her, and they'd start acting different around her.

She wanted her last days to be ones of happiness and memories.

And it was two days before she was to be released that Sasuke had come to visit her. It had surprised her greatly that he had come, it wasn't like he cared or anything! Hell he probably WANTED her dead. Must have come to finish the job.

But instead of pulling a kunai on her like she thought he would he sat on a chair near by her. He placed his elbows on his knees and laced his fingers together and dropped his head so the lower half of his face was covered by his enter locked fingers.

Silence reigned on through the two of them and neither wanted to break it at first, and then when the tension got too much she finally spoke.

"Sasuke kun -"

"You're annoying you know that right?" He cut her off coldly staring at her with an angered gaze. "You could even handle that one foe! You had to have me and Naruto come for your help! Couldn't you be any stronger!"

_Watch me fault her_

That wasn't how he had wanted it to come out! He winced mentally at the harshness of what had left his mouth. What he had wanted to say was that she needed to be move CAREFUL, not yell at her! Damn it nothing came out right!

He wanted as her eyes grew watery and she turned away a choking sob escaping her lips.

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

_Your living like a disaster_

He sighed and she turned to look at him. Her gaze this time was not torn, and was not affectionate. It no longer promised that she would wait for him like it would before, but now was painted with hatred and malice.

Sasuke had to fight back the urge to gulp at the look, and attempted to squash the horrible feeling that had been steadily growing within him as they days past.

So many things had been reminding him of her and her condition that it nearly scared him.

…nearly…

And now that she was glaring at him like this it only made the odd emotion that had been steadily growing inside him grow.

Then she spoke.

_She said "Kill me faster"_

"Just kill me faster!" she repeated and his heart sunk. Kill her faster? What did she mean by that!

Her voice was full of annoyance and hurt that it stung him. Another choked sob escaped her lips as she looked down at her stark white blanket that covered her torso. Her once pale white arms were placed across it folded neatly.

"Just…" she spoke so soft he almost didn't hear her "Just kill me faster Sasuke kun…"

And then she turned her heated gaze back to him and pointed at the door, telling him to leave silently. He obliged hesitantly and looked back at her once more. Her finger still pointed towards the door a scowl on her face.

_With strawberry gashes all over_

Two days later she was released from the hospital and sent home. Three days after his visit he decided to try again.

She had been home for a whole day already, and maybe he could now try to make amends with her. He hadn't meant to say what he had in the first place, so she couldn't stay mad! Right?

So he walked to her house and knocked on her door and when the door opened he came face to face with her mother. Instantly the woman called down her daughter and when Sakura opened the door her eyes widened ten fold.

"Sa-sasuke kun?" she asked almost as if not believe he was truly there.

_Called her over_

He nodded his head towards her as if indicating he wanted to walk with her and she happily agreed forcing her strides to match his paces as they walked away from her house.

At first the walk was silent between the two, but as Sasuke led her to the bridge that they used to once meet at he spoke.

_And asked her if she was improving_

She nodded silently at him, not speaking a word.

Meanwhile Inner Sakura was doing a happy dance in her head, squealing that Sasuke kun -_the_- Sasuke kun asked her if she was okay!

Then a wave of pain washed over her, and she winced fighting back a squeal of pain. He was instantly at her side, and she saw something flash through his eyes. Was it panic? Worry?

Soon the pain subsided though and she smiled a forced smile at him.

_She said "feels fine, it's wonderful"_

He looked at her skeptically but took in the last of her words before nodding his head and saying he wanted to return her home now.

She didn't argue as he led her back towards her house and as he walked her up to the door he didn't push her away as she latched herself onto him in a goodbye hug. Then stiffly he turned and walked away.

Her last words from the bridge running through his head over and over again as if stuck on constant repeat. He shuddered. They were so hard to hear he had to strain to catch them…

_"-Wonderful here"_

He pushed his legs to carry him home as quickly as he could. He wanted to banish these thoughts from his mind. He didn't need to worry about this girl! He needed to train, and thus he didn't need these stupid thoughts and these unshakable feelings!

But damn it all! She had him wrapped!

_Hex me_

He growled to himself as he kicked off his shoes at the entrance of his house. Maybe if he told her of those insensible emotions that arose within him whenever he thought of her he would feel better. But he didn't want to risk having her cling to him more.

They weren't pleasurable emotions. More painful then anything, and certainly distracting.

But just maybe…

_Told her_

With a heavy sigh he opted to sleep on it instead of deciding immediately on it. Quickly he stored to his bed side and tossed back the covers and slid underneath them. With one more sigh he closed his eyes beckoning sleep to take him. At least in his dreams she didn't rein power over him.

But instead that night of dreaming of Itachi as he usually did, he DID dream of her, and she DID run reign in that dream. Though…in that dream…

_I dreamt of a devil that knew her_

He awoke the next morning with a sigh and groggily made his way to his shower. Her voice…what she spoke to him bothered him. Kill her faster…wonderful here…what did it all mean?

He turned on the hot water nozzle and quickly stripped himself of his clothes and tossed them to the floor before stepping into the welcoming water.

Not only did he dream of the devil and her last night…he saw her body again. Battered and torn. He saw her cuts again in his minds eyes, and he swore to himself he never wanted to see that again.

He never wanted to see

_Pale white skin with strawberry gashes_

With a sigh he turned off the water and shook his head to rid it of any left over water and stepped out. Wrapping a towel around his waist he went into his room and dug through his dresser pulling out underwear, white shorts and his usual blue shirt and slid on the articles of clothing.

The vision of her cuts where still easily visible in his minds eye.

_All over_

With a growl he left his house in a hurry. Training. Yes training that's what he needed to forget her! He quickly flew to the forest where he trained and worked diligently on increasing his power. This was to defeat Itachi. Itachi. Train. Death. Uchiha. He kept repeating those words in his head as he pounded his fist into a nearby tree.

Itachi.

Train.

Death.

Uchiha.

But no matter how hard he tried to concentrate he saw her and her bloody cuts.

_All over_

"DAMN HER!" He growled and stopped his training, his sweat trickling down his chin before dropping to the ground. "That annoying daughter of a bitch! Why the HELL is she prancing around in my head! Goddamn it!"

With a heave he through himself to the ground and sat there in a moody fit when that emotion leaked through to him again. This time it pounded in his chest, caused his breath to hitch into his throat.

"Kuso!" he swore as he jumped to his feet and ran blindly to the direction of his house.

_Watch me fault her_

He quickly made it to his house and ran straight to his room and hid there as if it would stop all his thoughts about her, but instead they reined control here for his eyes locked with the picture of her and the rest of team seven.

This feeling. He could describe it and that's what scared him so.

It was love…and angst. But why Angst?

He felt as though something wrong was going on. Like when he walked through the empty streets of the Uchiha estate during the slaughter. He knew something was wrong but he couldn't place it…and here was that feeling again.

_Your living like a disaster_

Why though? Why was this feeling washing over him? And then he heard his front door rustle. He quickly reached for his pouch and pulled out a kunai and walk cautiously to the door when a paper was slid underneath it. He didn't move. Then he turned tapping and coughing as the person departed.

Sasuke looked at the paper skeptically before slowly moving closer to the paper. In neat delicate familiar hand writing the first words he read was

_She said "Kill me faster"_

The feeling was back again and this time he did not wonder why. This, he knew without reading the rest of the paper, was a suicide note. His breath once more hitched in his throat.

"Sakura!" Came his hoarse whisper.

Instantly he flung his door open and rushed out looking for any signs of the pink haired ninja.

When he didn't find any he ran out further and soon found his legs leading him outside of the Uchiha estate. Then he saw it. Something climbing the stairs towards the Hokage Mountain.

His legs carried him as fast as they could to the mountain, and when he reached the base he knew for sure as he saw pink hair whipping widely in the wind. It was Sakura…

_With strawberry gashes all over all over_

He flew up the stairs and when he rounded the corner he saw her. She had one hand tucking away the locks that flew freely in her face. Her lips moved in what he guessed was a silent prayer. He dashed faster then he thought possible towards her and she heard his steps and turned towards him.

"Sasuke kun…" she spoke a sad smile playing across her lips. And then like an angel falling the wrong way she spread open her arms and fell backwards, her eyes closed in bliss.

She hadn't been so lucky though to get her wish as Sasuke had reached her in time.

_I lay quiet_

He lay flat on his stomach his arms stretched out ahead of him as he held a firm grasp on her arm that in turn instinctively curled around his arm.

"Sasuke kun" she whispered as her green eyes opened to look at him in the eyes.

_Waiting for her voice to say_

She opened her mouth as if to speak and he held onto her tightly fearing the outcome if he let go.

_"Some things you lose"_

She licked her lips before going on again. Sasuke adjusted his grip on her, pleading her silently with his eyes not for her to go on, that would mean the end, but his pleads fell on blind eyes.

_"And some things you just give away"_

She smiled a sad smile and he knew what it meant and shook his head quickly but she ignored it.

_Scold me_

She again closed her eyes and a blissful sigh escaped her lips. "I love you Sasuke kun…" she spoke "…but this pain is to much…" she spoke and instantly Sasuke knew she meant the poison.

DAMN IT! If only she had TOLD someone, if only he had BEEN there!

_Failed her_

And with that she took her free arm and pried his fingers off her wrist and let go with her own hand, and silently she fell, twisting her body so she'd land on her back instead of legs first. Tears fell in her wake along side her and Sasuke watched in horror as she fell.

_If only I had held on tighter to her pale_

His eyes widened as time seemed to slow down so he could watch each of the pink haired girl's moments in agonizingly slow motion. She fell.

And she fell.

And fell.

And there was nothing he could do.

_White skin that twisted and withered_

And then he did it.

He leapt as well.

Gathering Charka to his feet he flew down the side of the mountain his hands reaching out to the girl as he raced against time and gravity itself to save his love. If she came out he would promise to tell her! He'd protect her! Hell he'd give her a kiss right on the spot! In front of everyone!

'God!' He prayed as he ran. 'please don't take her from me'

_Away from me…away from me_

Then it was no longer just Sakura's tears falling with hers, but the silent tears of a male who could have been called cold as he reached out for her.

"Sakura!" he called praying she'd open her eyes.

And she did.

"Take my hand!" he called out reaching for her. He'd save them both!

She smiled but didn't take his hand and instead closed her eyes again…

And then her body fell to the edge of the stair case below the mountain that she had used just moments ago to reach the top.

A sickening CRACK filled the air as her body fell into a mangled mess at the center of the stairs, but her eyes opened once more.

_Watch me lose her…_

He quickly landed and ran to her side and placed his head near her chest. Still beating, still breathing.

Her breaths came out ragged and pain filled. But she was alive!

Sasuke looked over her body to estimate the damage…I mean a fall like that she SHOULD be dead!

Then he saw it.

_It's almost like losing myself_

Her back had snapped.

She squealed out in pain and screwed her eyes shut.

Silently he thanked god, but kept praying

_Give her my soul…_

Her breaths slowed down and both knew her time was drawing near. It was a miracle, and torture that she survived the fall but she was timing slowly and painfully now, right before his eyes.

_And let them take somebody else_

"Sasuke…" came out her wheeze and he looked at her. Her eyes flashed with pain but showed pure love and determination. Determination for what?

Then he realized, she lived because she was a greater ninja then both he and Naruto combined…and it was just too late to realize.

She was great. She lived through emotional pain, she lived through physical pain. She lived through loss, and she lived through heartache. She lived through the battle, and through the poison and now she was living through the fall. But he was loosing her fast…

_Get away from me!_

"Sasuke kun…" she repeated and another shrill scream of pain escaped her lips as she reached down into his pouch and pulled out a kunai.

He moved to silence her, but she would have none of it.

"You're so stupid!" he scolded, his voice cracking. "Why would you do something like this you dobe!"

_Watch me fault her_

She said nothing and instead put the Kunai in his hands and in a hoarse, pain filled voice pleaded one last thing of him.

His eyes widened as he shook his head 'no'. He couldn't do that!

But her request rung through his head as she placed her hands around his that gripped the kunai and moved it over her chest.

_You're living like a disaster…_

She smiled a reassuring smile that was contorted by a wave of searing pain and she made a great effort from shrieking once more.

He knew how much pain she was in but he couldn't do it! And she couldn't ask that of him! But…he knew he had to.

He voice echoed into his head as he moved in to capture her lips with his own. Cold and loosing all warmth that it ever held with life. But she still made a move to return the action before he pulled away, and she could feel the warmth along with her life move away with him. She gave him a pleading look that spoke all of her pain and he couldn't deny her, her liberation of it.

_She said "Kill me faster"_

And with a murmur of his love for her, he watched as her eyes widened before he drove the kunai through her chest. She coughed up blood and her head lulled to the side from death. And though no words escaped her cold dead lips a whisper still echoed in Sasuke's ears.

"I love you to Sasuke kun…"

_With strawberry gashes_

He let the tears fall freely now not bothering to play the tough guy, not bothering to wipe them away and he pulled the knife away from her chest. He had just killed his one chance for redemption…

He just killed his love.

He killed his teammate; he killed the cherry blossom herself! He killed the one girl who would wait for him.

_All over…_

And with those thoughts running rapid through his head he took the same kunai and drew it over his arms over and over again. Never ceasing, never feeling the pain. The blood ran onto the floor unheeded, unnoticed. And when he finally saw what he had done.

A small smile played across his face as he lay down beside his cherry blossom and looked at his Strawberry gashes that so resembled hers and welcomed the wave of sleepiness wash over him with open arms as he closed his eyes for the last time, not to open them again.

_All over ME…_

* * *

Well that was my story…Review it please! Kinda dark in my eyes, but then again I was never god with death fics so you people are probably laughing at my feeble attempt to make you feel sorrowful and hurt inside! ARENT YOU!

The song by the way is Strawberry gashes by Jack off Jill. Lovely song that has captured my attention. And im sorry if you don't like the idea that she actually died, but when someone goes to commit suicide, the chances of someone actually being there are kinda slim, and so I thought it was already out there having him come in time…and well…I wanted them to die. O.O but I DO absolutely ADORE sasu/saku. Don't kill me!

I hope you all liked this and if you have time later, could you all possibly read **Twins of life and death: leaves and sound**? Its my other story, and not so depressing.

Thank you all!

Remember to Review!


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